Black Thorns - Book 1

Chapter 11

Panic started to rise inside my body, as the further my feet led me into the dark forest. Glancing behind me over my shoulder, the light from the sun now completely gone from my sight. All I could see were trees, and darkness around me.

Shivering as I once more looked ahead, I found it started to get harder to walk. With almost every third step, I was tripping and stumbling over things on the dark ground. Be them rocks, tree roots, or what if they were bodies of humans who never returned.

"Ok Erin, don't start freaking out now." My thoughts were affecting my state of mind. I stood still for a moment, exhaling a breath I was holding in. By now, I was very much regretting my rash decision of coming here. "I didn't even bring a damn flashlight! How stupid could I get."

My eyes suddenly opened wide, as I pulled my cell phone out. "How stupid am I?" Muttering under my breath, I open up the flashlight app on the phone. "That's better." Whispering to myself I shine the flashlight around me. Quickly turning around the way I just came, only to sigh in relief as I see only as I originally thought. Rocks and tree roots that were tripping me, no dead bodies.

There was no wonder why the townsfolk feared this place. Some forests you can at least still see rays of sun. This one however, felt suffocating. The trees were so thick, no sun rays were able to pass through the top branches of the trees. This gave the place a dark, scary vibe. It also meant the air was stale, as the wind didn't pass through the trees well here either.

It felt hard to even breath in this atmosphere, my mind was starting to become overwhelmed by this intoxicating darkness.

"This is stupid, what the hell did I even expect to find in here?"

"I should head back." As I tell myself this, my foot steps upon a branch laying on the dark damp forest ground. The snapping sound echoed all around my form startling me in fear. My phone fell from my shaking hands, as I quickly snatched it back up in my hand.

Standing up I take a nerve racking deep breath, to try to calm myself down. Though my ears caught sound of another branch cracking in the distance. Gulping in fear as I clearly didn't make that noise, my entire body shook in fear. All those fabled stories the townsfolk spoke of monsters and deadly animals living in these very woods, entered my mind.

"Not real, only rumors. Not r-real." However another noise caught my attention, this one sounding much closer to myself. So naturally I did the smart thing, without even thinking or knowing what caused the noise, I started to run.

I ran through the trees, doing my best to light my path with my cellphone. My feet tripping still on the uneven forest ground. My foot got caught in a tree root, as I gasped in horror as my phone flew from my shaking hand, while my body fell to the ground.

Pushing myself up quickly, I spotted the glow of my cell phone and rushed to grab it once more. Holding it securely I stood my ground and looked around the darkness. Nothing was around me, except this eerie silence.

"Maybe it was just an animal, a deer or a rabbit." Saying this calms my nerves a tiny bit, until a different thought entered my mind. Glancing around my form in every direction, I gulp in fear. Which way did I just come from? Which way was Havenbrook?"

"I'm lost." The words leave my lips in utter horror.

...

Looking down at my phone as I walked mindlessly through the trees, I once again started panicking. "Shit." The curse slips from my lips, as my eyes catch sight of how low my phone battery is.

Knowing if it dies while I am still wandering these trees, I knew I was screwed. But no matter how far I walk, all I see is trees. No sign of the forest ending soon, no sign of Havenbrook. I am completely lost.